As a headteacher she was expected to set a good example for her pupils.

But a secondary school has been slammed for failing to tell parents that their principal was convicted of drink-driving.

Karen Ross, head at Treviglas College, Newquay, Cornwall, was banned from driving for a year and fined £500 after her car was spotted travelling erratically on the A30 and almost clipping the verge on a roundabout.

Over the limit: Karen Ross was spotted travelling erratically on a dual-carriageway and found to have been drunk behind the wheel

She was stopped by police officers on
July 18 this year and failed a roadside breath test, recording 56mcg of
alcohol in her breath - 21 points over the legal limit.

Mrs Ross, 52, who lives in Treskillard near Redruth, has no previous convictions and pleaded guilty to the offence at a hearing at Truro Magistrates’ Court on August 29.

Share this article

But despite three months elapsing since she was charged with the offence - and six weeks since her conviction - parents say the school have not kept them informed.

One father slammed the college for keeping news of Mrs Ross’s conviction from parents.

He said: 'The school has not sent
anything out to parents to deny or explain what everyone is saying.
That’s more the issue for me. We should be informed.'

Bad example: Karen Ross, head of Treviglas Academy School Newquay, pictured meeting Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, has been accused of failing to tell parents that she had been caught drink-driving

A student at the secondary school said Mrs Ross had been approached continually by pupils asking about her offence.

She added: 'I think it’s quite bad
because she’s the head teacher and she should be setting an example. If
someone gets caught smoking then they get told off but she was caught
drinking and driving.'

Guidelines by the Teaching Agency on
behalf of the Department for Education (DfE) suggest a drink-drive
conviction can amount to misconduct as it affects a teacher’s ability to
act as a role model and brings the profession into disrepute.

A spokeswoman for the DfE said she was
not aware of Mrs Ross’s case and Cornwall Council has confirmed it is a
subject for the governors to discuss primarily, rather than the
authority.

Critical: Parents and pupils at Treviglas College, Newquay, Cornwall, have said they should have been informed of ther headteacher's conviction for drink-driving

It has also been revealed that some school governors were not aware of the situation.

It is understood the chair of governors felt Mrs Ross’s conviction was a 'personal matter' and would not affect her role as head teacher.

Newquay police and national drink-drive charities have spoken out against drink-driving and have stressed the seriousness of the offence.

Mrs Ross declined to comment.

However, Patricia Hewitt, head of the council’s media relations team, said: 'The council is aware of the conviction of the head teacher.

The issue is a matter for the governing body to deal with as her employers.'